GB2344646A - A ventilation fan arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

A ventilation fan arrangement in which a fan operation controller can select between necessary air ventilation operation and auxiliary air ventilation operation. The controller is also coupled to a telephone which may be used within a motor vehicle such that upon activation of the telephone, the fan operation controller adapts ventilation fan operation to present lower noise levels from the ventilation fan to the telephone consistent with retention of said necessary ventilation operation. With regard to necessary ventilation operation, where appropriate the fan operation controller may not alter ventilation operation in order to ensue retention of that necessary a ventilation operation for safety within a motor vehicle. An example of a necessary ventilation operation is that required to demist windows within the vehicle.

Description

A VENTILATION FAN ARRANGEMENT The present invention relates to a ventilation fan arrangement for a motor vehicle and more particularly to such an arrangement used within a motor vehicle where a mobile telephonemay also be operated.

Over recent years, it has become more common to use mobile telephones within a motor vehicle. Whether the telephone is used hands-free or, more dangerously holding the telephone receiver, there is an inherent problem within a motor vehicle of background noise. This background noise can be split between external sources such as wind whistle, other motor vehicles and tyre rumble and noise sources within the vehicle.

Within a motor vehicle, apart from other occupants'conversation, etc, a principal source of intrusive noise is that presented by the fan blower of the climate control system. These fan blowers typically comprise an electric motor which turns a turbine in order to generate air flow through ducting towards an occupant and into the vehicle cabin. In such circumstances, it will be appreciated there can be a degree of air flow whistle through the heating, ventilation and airconditioning ducting, etc.

The present invention is directed to providing a ventilation fan arrangement which can substantially diminish acoustically intrusive noise generated by the fan blowers of a vehicle climate control system.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a ventilation fan arrangement for a motor vehicle, the arrangement including a ventilation fan arranged to allow selectively necessary air ventilation operation or auxiliary air ventilation operation, a fan operation controller selective of ventilation fan operation and a telephone for use within a motor vehicle, the telephone being coupled to the fan operation controller whereby activation of the telephone provides a control signal to the fan operation controller to adapt, where selected, operation of auxiliary ventilation operation of the ventilation fan and where selected tune necessary air ventilation operation of the ventilation fan to present lower or lowest respective noise levels of the ventilation fan to the telephone consistent with retention of said ventilation fan operation.

Auxiliary air ventilation operation may include discretionary air circulation precipitated by the ventilation fan under control of a vehicle occupant.

Necessary air ventilation operation may include that required to demist/defrost motor vehicle window areas and/or automatic temperature control as part of an air conditioning system.

The lower or lowest respective noise level may be substantially zero for auxiliary air vent operation by disabling the ventilation fan as required.

Furthermore, the lower or lowest respective noise level may be incrementally reduced in relation to the telephone audio dialogue range for appropriate control feedback loop determination.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of invention only.

It will be appreciated that there is an inherent whistle or roar when any forced air flow is presented through a vent. Furthermore, the fan blower used to force that air flow itself may create a whining noise and other detrimental acoustic effects when operated. In such circumstances, it will be appreciated that within a motor vehicle these noises may have significant detrimental effects upon the acceptability of telephone performance. It will also be appreciated that, as with all phones, those telephones used in a motor vehicle will typically have a sensitivity appropriate for human voice pickup. Unfortunately, within a motor vehicle, there are several sources as described previously which coincide with these human voice audio frequency ranges and so can create backgound noise problems.

Clearly within a motor vehicle, the ventilation fan of the so-called heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HEVAC) system is a significant source of detrimental noise for mobile telephone operation. However, this ventilation fan will be operated on occasion for necessary functions such as demisting/defrosting of the vehicle for clearer visibility and therefore increased safety. In such circumstances, the detrimental effect of switching the ventilation fan off, may have noticeable consequences. However, and despite the inherent diminishing in safety by potential reduction in visibility, it is normal for a telephone user within a motor vehicle to immediately turn down or switch off the ventilation fan/blower when the telephone is activated. This act of altering the ventilation fan operation manually in itself can have significant safety implications when the vehicle is actively driven.

In accordance with the present invention, the ventilation fan will be relatively muted when the telephone is activated. In order to achieve this objective the noise level precipitated by various modes and speeds of ventilation fan operation are known by a fan operation controller. Thus, if the ventilation fan is at a speed or operated in such a mode that is negligible with regard to telephone operation, then there will be no variation in ventilation fan operation.

A clear distinction must be made between necessary air ventilation operation and auxiliary air ventilation operation for the ventilation fan. As indicated previously, necessary air ventilation operation includes facilities provided by the ventilation fan for demisting/defrosting, whether determined manually or through an automatic temperature control system, whilst auxiliary air ventilation operation will generally include all those discretionary functions provided by the ventilation fan normally of an individual occupant preference nature. Necessary air ventilation operations must be maintained to the degree necessary to provide, or retain an acceptable level of, their function whilst auxiliary air ventilation operations can be significantly adapted without detrimental safety effects, etc. In such circumstances, the present invention a fan operation controller upon stimulation by a control signal from the telephone, indication activation of that telephone, will vary operation of the ventilation fan. Thus, the fan operation will be adapted when providing an auxiliary air ventilation operation in order to assume that known speed/mode of operation which provides lower or the lowest negligible noise for the fan irrespective of whether this has detrimental effect upon the level of performance achieved. For auxiliary air ventilation operation this adaptation may include stopping operation of the ventilation fan for a period of time whilst the telephone is activated. However, for necessary air ventilation operation such as demist, the fan operation controller will assess whether necessary function ie demist can be maintained with a reduced fan operation speed or mode whilst retaining the necessary air ventilation operation. Thus, an assessment may be made with regard to whether the demist operation has been substantially completed and so a reduction in ventilation fan speed can be accommodated in order to present lower respective noise levels from the ventilation fan to the telephone without any detrimental effect upon necessary air ventilation operation, ie. demist, or not. In such circumstances, it will be appreciated that, during the initial-stages of necessary air ventilation operation, in particular, the fan operation controller may determine that there will be a detrimental effect upon retention of the necessary ventilation function and so ensure that fan operation is not varied in order to present a lower respective noise level from that ventilation fan to the telephone for safety maintenance reasons.

It will be understood that telephones can also incorporate sensitivity variation devices in order to deminish the effects of background noise. Typically, these telephone sensitiviy variation devices will determine the volume loudness of the speaker's voice in order to alter the sensitivity dependent thereon and similarly with regard to the receiver increase or reduce the loudness dependent upon the background noise. In such circumstances, it will be appreciated that the present fan operation controller could also be affected by the telephone sensitivity status in order to achieve the best combination of telephone sensitivity level compared with ventilation fan operation noise level for reception purposes.

Once the telephone is deactivated, ie. placed back on its hook, etc, then the present muting of the ventilation fan operation will be cancelled. In such circumstances, the ending of telephone operation will restore ventilation fan operation to that previously consistent with selected function, etc. Such return to previous ventilation fan operation may be automatic upon the telephone being deactivated or may be necessitated through a manual depression of a switch or similar device. Similarly, if a necessary air ventilation operation is selected, whether manually or automatically during a period of telephone activity, it will be appreciated that the present muting of fan operation may be immediately terminated in order to achieve and retain the necessary fan operation for achieving that necessary air ventilation operation.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that what is considered negligible noise and acceptable noise level for telephone operation will be dependent upon the particular vehicle in which the ventilation fan arrangement in accordance with the present invention is installed. Furthermore, there can be a degree of tuning specific to particular telephone type and operator preference. It will also be understood that operation of the fan operation controller in accordance with the present invention may be varied dependent upon whether the telephone used within the vehicle is of a hands-free nature or not.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present ventilation fan arrangement could be provided by adapting an existing HEVAC system within a vehicle. Thus, the present fan operation controller could be'piggy-backed'upon the existing HEVAC control system and essentially comprises a device to determine telephone activation and so override that existing HEVAC control system in order to present a lower or lowest respective noise level from the ventilation fan to the telephone consistent with retention of said ventilation fan operation particularly when a necessary air ventilation operation is performed.

Alternatively, the present fan operation controller could be an integral part of an original vehicle HEVAC system.

Claims (8)

1. CLAIMS 1. A ventilation fan arrangement for a motor vehicle, the arrangement including a ventilation fan arranged to allow selectively necessary air ventilation operation or auxiliary air ventilation operation, a fan operation controller selective of ventilation fan operation and a telephone for use within a motor vehicle, the telephone being coupled to the fan operation controller whereby activation of the telephone provides a control signal to the fan operation controller to adapt where selected operation of auxiliary air ventilation operation of a ventilation fan and where selected tune necessary air ventilation operation of the ventilation fan to present a lower or lowest respective noise level from the ventilation fan to the telephone consistent with retention of said ventilation fan operation.
2. 2. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the arrangement is arranged to provide as a necessary air ventilation operation demisting of windows within a motor vehicle.
3. 3. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the arrangement is arranged to provide as an auxiliary air ventilation operation individually determined discretionary levels of ventilation fan speed and function for air ventilation within a motor vehicle.
4. 4. An arrangement as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the arrangement is arranged such that the fan operation controller may adapt operation of auxiliary air ventilation operation in order to terminate operation of the ventilation fan whilst the telephone is activated.
5. 5. A ventilation fan arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fan operation controller is arranged to incrementally alter ventilation fan operation in order to present a lower or lowest respective noise level from the ventilation fan to the telephone consistent with retention of ventilation fan operation dependent upon the level of telephone sensitivity to audio voice pickup and occupant hearing.
6. 6. A ventilation fan arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the fan operation controller incorporates specific levels of ventilation fan operation known to provide particular respective noise levels of that ventilation fan in operation and the fan operation controller determines at which of said levels to operate the said ventilation fan in order to present a lower or lowest respective noise level to the telephone consistent with retention of ventilation fan operation.
7. 7. A ventilation fan arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described.
8. 8. A motor vehicle including a ventilation fan arrangement as claimed in any preceding claim.